Biodiesel production plants

GENERAL INFORMATION


CONTENT

1. Introduction

1.1. Types of Biodiesel production units

2. Project development and project management

2.1. The plant
2.2. Additional buildings
2.3. Infrastructure
2.4. Used raw materials
2.5. Agriculture area

3. Checklist for Biodiesel production

3.1. Production diagram
3.2. Vegetable oils yields and ester characteristics
3.3. International Biodiesel standard






1. Introduction
Biodiesel is commonly made of rapeseed or soybean oil as primary, and methanol as
secondary raw material. Befa offers beside this also a production way with ethanol
instead of methanol, and the know-how for many different primary raw materials as well.


Chemically, transesterified biodiesel comprises a mix of mono-alkyl esters of long chain
fatty acids. The most common form uses methanol to produce methyl esters as it is the
cheapest alcohol available, though ethanol can be used to produce an ethyl ester
biodiesel. A byproduct of the transesterification process is the production of glycerin. A
lipid transesterification production process is used to convert the base oil to the desired
esters. Any Free fatty acids (FFAs) in the base oil are either converted to soap and
removed from the process, or they are esterified (yielding more biodiesel) using an acidic
catalyst. After this processing, unlike straight vegetable oil, biodiesel has combustion
properties very similar to those of petroleum diesel,
and can replace it in most current uses.
A variety of oils can be used to produce biodiesel.
These include:
Virgin oil feedstock; rapeseed and soybean oils are
most commonly used, though other crops such as
mustard, palm oil, hemp, jatropha, and even algae
show promise

Waste vegetable oil (WVO);
Animal fats including tallow, lard, yellow grease and
as a byproduct from the production of Omega-3 fatty
acids from fish oil.
Biodiesel feedstock plants utilize photosynthesis to
convert solar energy into chemical energy. The stored
chemical energy is released when it is burned,
therefore plants can offer a sustainable oil source for biodiesel production. Most of the



carbon dioxide emitted when burning biodiesel is simply recycling that which was
absorbed during plant growth, so the net production of greenhouse gases is small and
that of CO
2
is zero.
We have a wide range of Biodiesel production plants, starting and using oil seeds, crude
oil and fats. We also offer the complete infrastructure to produce oil from seeds and fats.


1.1. Types of Biodiesel production units

type designation capacity: liters / day (24 hours)
SBDU-LIN: Small BioDiesel Unit Low Investment Line
Befa-SBDU-1200-LIN 1.200
Befa-SBDU-4800-LIN 4.800
Befa SBDU-12000-LIN 12.000
Befa-SBDU-24000-LIN 24.000
SBDU-LEC: Small BioDiesel Unit Low Energy Consumption Line
Befa-SBDU-1000-LEC 1.000
Befa-SBDU-1600-LEC 1.600
Befa-SBDU-3000-LEC 3.000
Befa-SBDU-5000-LEC 5.000
Befa-SBDU-8000-LEC 8.000
Befa-SBDU-16000-LEC 16.000
Befa-SBDU-32000-LEC 32.000
MBDU: Medium BioDiesel Unit
Befa-MBDU-32000 32.000 (12.000 tons/year)
Befa-MBDU-72000 72.000 (72.000 tons/year)
LBDU: Large BioDiesel Unit
Individual constructions with capacities from 40.000 to 500.000 tons/year


















2. Project development and project management
The whole project engineering will be done by BEFA. On all accounts BEFA needs two to
four locally persons for project development.
If the project starts, BEFA and their project partners will accomplish a pre-study on the
basic information, which will be given by the authorities in the country. This pre-study
will covert costs and will allow making a first statement if the project is feasible.
After this pre-study, a full feasibility study will accrue.
This feasibility study will costs about 1,5 to 2,5% of the investment costs of the Biodiesel
production plant. The costs of the feasibility study are included in the contract with the
general planner.

Results of a feasibility study in Austria: first layout of a Biodiesel-plant

2.1. The plant
The plant will consist of several units:
o Storage for raw material
Storage tanks for oils and fats, capacity 6 weeks.
o Storage for finished products
Storage tanks for biodiesel, capacity 6 weeks.
o Energy-production plant
Own building for production of thermal energy for the whole Biodiesel-plant and
steam for heating the processes.
o Pre-treatment
Building for the pre-treatment for oils and fats to make them useable for the
following Biodiesel-production.
o Biodiesel-production
Production hall for the Biodiesel production.
o Environmental installations
Building for waste water treatment, methanol/ethanol recovery and catalyst-
recovery.
o Office and administrational building

2.2 Additional buildings (not included in the standard concept)
o Oil mill and extraction device
o Combined heat and power generation plant

2.3. Infrastructure (for a plant for 100.000 tons Biodiesel production per year):
o Area
A 100.000 ton-plant needs about 30.000 to 40.000 m free space.
Additional area if an oil mill and extraction has to be build.
o Energy
The plant can be equipped with a power plant, which produces the needed thermal and
electrical energy with a surplus on energy. So the plant is energy self-sufficient!
o Transporting systems
The production plant needs a connection to streets and to the railway system if possible.

2.4. Used raw materials
The feedstocks for the biodiesel-production are:
o Animal fat, such as:
beef / tallow fat, lard fat, mutton fat
o Vegetable oil, such as:
rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, cotton seed oil, jatropha oil
and any other oils and fats.

o Secondary raw materials
Methanol or ethanol
o Amount of raw materials (for 100.000 tons Biodiesel):
Fat and oil: 120.000 tons
Methanol: 12.500 tons or
Ethanol: 17.700 tons

The catalyst will be recovered in the process, losses are about 3 to 5%, this losses are
not so big amounts.

2.5. Agriculture area
If the required raw material is vegetable oil, BEFA can support project development and
project management for cultivation of oil seeds.
For an ecological and therefore profit-yielding harvest of oil seeds and vegetable oil the
crop rotation is very important and can be developed by BEFA.
This crop-rotation allows reducing the required land from 400.000 to 250.000 hectare for
100.000 tons of Biodiesel-production a year.

3. Checklist for Biodiesel production

Beginning from area inspection / investigation to the ready Biodiesel.

Depending on rape and sunflower:
area and nutrient situation
seed for sowing
o sowing machines, field work machines and employees
water for irrigation
fertilizer (high amounts of Nitrogen required, ca. 240kg N / ha in Europe)
pesticides (question if pests also living in Africa)
harvesting
o machines, system, qualified & trained employees
transportation system for oil seed
o 300.000 tons of oil seeds = 12.000 truck loadings (!!!) 25 tons each
storage of oil seeds
oil mill, extraction (AREA: 40.000 to 50.000m, depending on storage tanks)
o centrally or locally production (10.000 tons each or 100.000 central)
o energy, transportation, logistic system, environmental questions
storage for oil and press cake (rape/sunflower)
logistical system for appropriation of animal feed ( press cake from rape seed
and sunflower seed)
transport of oil from the oil mill Biodiesel production (if required)
ALL numbers: +25% if sunflower is planted!
EMPLOYEES needed / SKILLED workers

Crop rotation
ideal after and before rape seed: wheat, corn/crop/grain
comprehension of sunflower and soy possible

GMO plants
genetically modified plants as additional potential.
needs acceptation of government and inhabitants (?)

Jatropha curcas Purgiernuss:
New plant for Biodiesel production
Needs only few water, badland and wasteland possible, unaspiring (german:
anspruchslose) plant
High temperatures possible
long period of drought no problem for the plant
Ideal plant for land reclamation
oil yield up to 1.600 kg per hectare (rape: 1.000, sunflower: 800 kg)
subsided by Weltbank / World Bank
IDEAL for Africa, reference projects in India
OPEN QUESTIONS:
o cultivation time (months/years not) not available yet
o available numbers of seedlings (?)
o time to first harvesting and oil production
o TOXIC plant and press cake, IMPOSSIBLE for animal feed
o BUT: press cake can be used for energy production

Depending on animal fat/oil:
butchered animals per year
fat content of animals
all animal fats and oils possible (beef/mutton/lard)
extraction of oil from animal bodies and animal waste (building, plant, etc.)
transporting system, etc. see rape seed

Biodiesel production plant
turn key plant
40.000m free area
rail system / truck loading ports available
infrastructure, energy production will be built.
40 to 50 employees, 5 to 10 SKILLED workers
2 3 technician / experts remain in Africa while plant operating

Ethanol production
Ethanol production, required 17.500 tons per year = 21.875 m / 21,875 mill litre
o 96% ethanol naturally processing to 100% needs separate plant
fermentation of corn, maize, etc.
turn key plants in Europe available
crop rotation with oil seeds will have ecological benefits








3.1. Production diagram for multifeed stock



















Rapseed Soy plants Sunflower Fallow land
Oil mill, Extraction
First treatment
Oil seed
cake
Treatment plant Animal fat
Palm oil,
other
By-
products
Intermediate
product
Biodiesel production
plant
Methanol or
Ethanol
Biodiesel

3.2. Vegetable oil yields
Note: These are conservative estimates -- crop yields can vary widely.
Ascending order
Crop kg oil/ha
litres
oil/ha
lbs
oil/acre
US
gal/acre
corn (maize) 145 172 129 18
cashew nut 148 176 132 19
oats 183 217 163 23
lupine 195 232 175 25
kenaf 230 273 205 29
calendula 256 305 229 33
cotton 273 325 244 35
hemp 305 363 272 39
soybean 375 446 335 48
coffee 386 459 345 49
linseed (flax) 402 478 359 51
hazelnuts 405 482 362 51
euphorbia 440 524 393 56
pumpkin seed 449 534 401 57
coriander 450 536 402 57
mustard seed 481 572 430 61
camelina 490 583 438 62
sesame 585 696 522 74
safflower 655 779 585 83
rice 696 828 622 88
tung oil tree 790 940 705 100
sunflowers 800 952 714 102
cocoa (cacao) 863 1026 771 110
peanuts 890 1059 795 113
opium poppy 978 1163 873 124
rapeseed 1000 1190 893 127
olives 1019 1212 910 129
castor beans 1188 1413 1061 151
pecan nuts 1505 1791 1344 191
jojoba 1528 1818 1365 194
jatropha 1590 1892 1420 202
macadamia nuts 1887 2246 1685 240
brazil nuts 2010 2392 1795 255
avocado 2217 2638 1980 282
coconut 2260 2689 2018 287
oil palm 5000 5950 4465 635










Alphabetical order
avocado 2217 2638 1980 282
brazil nuts 2010 2392 1795 255
calendula 256 305 229 33
camelina 490 583 438 62
cashew nut 148 176 132 19
castor beans 1188 1413 1061 151
cocoa (cacao) 863 1026 771 110
coconut 2260 2689 2018 287
coffee 386 459 345 49
coriander 450 536 402 57
corn (maize) 145 172 129 18
cotton 273 325 244 35
euphorbia 440 524 393 56
hazelnuts 405 482 362 51
hemp 305 363 272 39
jatropha 1590 1892 1420 202
jojoba 1528 1818 1365 194
kenaf 230 273 205 29
linseed (flax) 402 478 359 51
lupine 195 232 175 25
macadamia nuts 1887 2246 1685 240
mustard seed 481 572 430 61
oats 183 217 163 23
oil palm 5000 5950 4465 635
olives 1019 1212 910 129
opium poppy 978 1163 873 124
peanuts 890 1059 795 113
pecan nuts 1505 1791 1344 191
pumpkin seed 449 534 401 57
rapeseed 1000 1190 893 127
rice 696 828 622 88
safflower 655 779 585 83
sesame 585 696 522 74
soybean 375 446 335 48
sunflowers 800 952 714 102
tung oil tree 790 940 705 100


Oils and esters characteristics
Oils and esters characteristics
Melting Range deg C
Type of Oil
Oil /
Fat
Methyl
Ester
Ethyl
Ester
Iodine
number
Cetane
number
Rapeseed oil, high erucic 5 0 -2 97 to 105 55
Rapeseed oil low eruc. -5 -10 -12 110 to 115 58
Sunflower oil -18 -12 -14 125 to 135 52
Olive oil -12 -6 -8 77 to 94 60
Soybean oil -12 -10 -12 125 to 140 53
Cotton seed oil 0 -5 -8 100 to 115 55
Corn oil -5 -10 -12 115 to 124 53
Coconut oil 20 to 24 -9 -6 8 to 10 70
Palm kernel oil 20 to 26 -8 -8 12 to 18 70
Palm oil 30 to 38 14 10 44 to 58 65
Palm oleine 20 to 25 5 3 85 to 95 65
Palm stearine 35 to 40 21 18 20 to 45 85
Tallow 35 to 40 16 12 50 to 60 75
Lard 32 to 36 14 10 60 to 70 65

Oils and their melting points and Iodine
Values
Oil melting point Iodine Value
Coconut oil 25 10
Palm kernel oil 24 37
Mutton tallow 42 40
Beef tallow - 50
Palm oil 35 54
Olive oil -6 81
Castor oil -18 85
Peanut oil 3 93
Rapeseed oil -10 98
Cotton seed oil -1 105
Sunflower oil -17 125
Soybean oil -16 130
Tung oil -2.5 168
Linseed oil -24 178
Sardine oil - 185



3.3. International standard

The EN 14214 is an international standard that describes the minimum requirements for
Biodiesel that has been produced from rapeseed fuel stock (also known as R.M.E. or
rapeseed methyl esters). It came into effect 30 October 2004.

Property Units
lower
limit
upper
limit
Test-Method
Ester content % (m/m) 96,5 - pr EN 14103d
Density at 15C kg/m 860 900
EN ISO 3675 / EN
ISO 12185.
Viscosity at 40C mm/s 3,5 5,0 EN ISO 3104
Flash point C > 101 - ISO CD 3679e
Sulfur content mg/kg - 10 -
Tar remnant (at 10% distillation
remnant)
% (m/m) - 0,3 EN ISO 10370
Cetane number - 51,0 - EN ISO 5165
Sulfated ash content % (m/m) - 0,02 ISO 3987
Water content mg/kg - 500 EN ISO 12937
Total contamination mg/kg - 24 EN 12662
Copper band corrosion (3 hours
at 50 C)
rating Class 1 Class 1 EN ISO 2160
Thermal Stability - - - -
Oxidation stability, 110C hours 6 - pr EN 14112k
Acid value mg KOH/g - 0,5 pr EN 14104
Iodine value - - 120 pr EN 14111
Linolic Acid Methylester % (m/m) - 12 pr EN 14103d
Polyunsaturated (>= 4 Double
bonds) Methylester
% (m/m) - 1 -
Methanol content % (m/m) - 0,2 pr EN 14110l
Monoglyceride content % (m/m) - 0,8 pr EN 14105m
Diglyceride content % (m/m) - 0,2 pr EN 14105m
Triglyceride content % (m/m) - 0,2 pr EN 14105m
Free Glycerine % (m/m) - 0,02
pr EN 14105m / pr
EN 14106
Total Glycerine % (m/m) - 0,25 pr EN 14105m
Alkali Metals (Na+K) mg/kg - 5
pr EN 14108 / pr EN
14109
Phosphorus content mg/kg - 10 pr EN14107p